1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to ovens, and in particular, relates to an oven having dual access to provide a pass-through design.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional ovens include standard convection ovens, steamers, and combination oven/steamers, such as those commercially available from Alto-Shaam(copyright), Inc, located in Menomomee Falls, Wis. These devices include, in particular, Combitherm(copyright) Combination Oven/Steamers available from Alto-Shaam(copyright), Inc., which utilize steam, heated air or a combination of both for steaming, baking, roasting, thawing, reheating, and various other cooking functions. The combination oven/steamer is compact and especially desirable in commercial kitchens that are traditionally limited in space. These devices are commercially available as gas and electric models.
Conventional ovens allow access to the heating cavity via a single door through which uncooked food is delivered and cooked food is removed. As a result, the serving staff must access the cooked food product from the same location as the chef handling raw food product and, more specifically, from the same door. Because most commercial kitchens are busy and cramped, the chef""s food preparation efforts may be hindered accessing the oven. In addition, because the chef is in constant contact with potential contaminants associated with the handling of raw food, and especially raw meat products, cooked food product could become contaminated by servers using the same door as the chef.
It has thus become desirable to isolate the chef from contact with the final cooked food product. In fact, some countries have enacted health codes that prohibit chefs from contacting prepared food product that is ready to be served in order to reduce the risk of contamination.
What is therefore needed is an oven whose internal heating cavity may be accessed by the chef at a first location, and by a server at a second location isolated from the first location.
The present invention provides an oven having a pass-through design.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the oven includes an oven chamber defining a heating cavity that is configured to receive raw food product therein and utilize cooking elements to produce prepared food product from the raw food product. A first door is disposed at a first access location of the oven and provides access to the cavity for inserting the raw food product therein. A second door is disposed at a second access location, isolated from the first access location, and provides access to the cavity for the removal of the prepared food product therefrom. An indicator is activated when the prepared food product is ready to be removed from the cavity via the second door.
It is thus one object of the invention to provide a pass-through oven that is accessible to a chef and serving staff from remote locations to minimize the risk of cross contamination of prepared food product from raw food product.
In another aspect, the oven includes a set of controls used in combination with the cooking elements to prepare the food product. In one preferred form, the controls automatically activate the indicator upon the termination of a cooking sequence. In another preferred form, the indicator may be manually activated to indicate that the prepared food product may be removed from the oven. In another preferred form, the second door is automatically locked in a closed position until the indicator has been actuated.
It is thus another object of the invention to provide an indicator to a serving staff that prepared food product is ready to be removed from the oven.
In another aspect, a switch, located remotely from the first door, is operable to deactivate the indicator.
It is thus another object to provide a switch that is not easily accessible to the chef for acknowledging that the prepared food may be removed from the oven cavity.
In one preferred form, the first and second doors are located on opposing walls. In one preferred form, the first and second doors are located on adjacent walls. In one preferred form, the first and second doors are located on the same wall.
It is thus another object of the invention to provide various configurations of a pass-through design to isolate raw food product from prepared food product.
In another preferred form, the cooking elements use convection to prepare the raw food product. In one aspect, the cooking elements are gas cooking elements. In another aspect, the cooking elements are electric cooking elements.
It is thus another object of the invention to provide an oven that utilizes conventional convection cooking elements to prepare the food product.
In another preferred form, the cooking elements produce steam to prepare the food product. A drain may extend from the cavity to trap fluid therein.
It is thus another object of the invention to provide an oven that utilizes steam to prepare the food product, and to provide a closed food preparation system.
In another aspect, the oven includes a pair of independently controlled oven chambers defining a pair of corresponding heating cavities.
It is thus another object of the invention to provide greater flexibility to the food preparation efforts of the chef.
In one preferred form, each oven chamber has a first door and a second door both providing access to the heating cavities.
It is thus another object of the invention to provide a pass-through design for both oven cavities.
Methods for using these ovens are also disclosed.
These and other aspects of the invention are not intended to define the scope of the invention for which purpose claims are provided. In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which there is shown by way of illustration, and not limitation, preferred embodiments of the invention. Such embodiments do not define the scope of the invention and reference must be made therefore to the claims for this purpose.